Multiple electric socket



March 30, 1954 E. G. PFlsTl-:R

MULTIPLE ELECTRIC socKET 3 sheets-sheet 2 Filed July 16. 1949 March 30, 1954 E. G. PFISTER 2,673,969

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Patented Mar. 30, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT oEFicE MULTIPLE ELECTRIC SOCKET Edward G. Pfister, New York, N. Y. Application July 16, 1949, Serial No. 105,139

2 Claims.

This invention relates to connections or sockets in a wall or the like for electric circuits, and has for its main object to provide a novel improved construction of a sliding electric socket of the character mentioned, whereby the same may be used, in the various positions into which it may slide inwardly or outwardly of the wall or the like, for a single one or for a plurality of electric plugs and circuits, as desired.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved novel means whereby such sliding combination or multiple socket will receive current from the usual source thereof in the Wall or the like and distribute it to the multiple of circuits which may be plugged into said sliding socket.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a device of the character indicated in which the current receiving means may also act as guides for the socket in its sliding movements.

Further objects of this invention will be apparent as the specification of the same proceeds or will be pointed out therein.

In the drawings forming a part of this specication and accompanying the same;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of my invention, the sliding member thereof shown in an outwardly pulled position adapted to receive several plugs, while Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view of the same in a withdrawn position usual electric Wall socket to be used for one plug;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of my device, the section being taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a preferred arrangement of conductors for the various sockets arranged in my sliding member, the parts being spaced apart more widely than in actual use, for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 5 is a. sectional View on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view Fig. 3

Fig. 7 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a modified embodiment of my device;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same, partly in section, and

Fig. 9 is a front view of said modification, portions of the same being broken away.

Referring now to the drawings in detail by characters of reference, the numeral 20. indicates the preferred embodiment of my device, in general, the same being composed of three main elements; a casing or box, generally indicated by the numeral 2|, a socket member. or block, 22,

on the line 6--6 of where it appears as a .1

, 49. The said conductor slidable therein, and an electric contact member in said box, generally indicated by the numeral 23.

The box or casing 2| may have a bottom 24, left hand and right hand side walls 25 and 2B, and a top 2l', and the same may be made of sheet metal, or any other appropriate material, like plastic, or other electrically non-conducting material.

As has been mentioned, the preferred use of my invention is as a wall socket. and the b x 2| will be built into a Wall 28, the front of the same preferably being ush with the front of the wall. As it is well known, the electric conductors 29 and 3e to the two poles of a source of current are arranged in the wall and in my device their terminations are carried into or through opening 3| in the back Wall 32 of the casing or box 2 i.

Electrically insulated left hand and right hand conductor bars 33 and 3d are arranged on the respective side Walls 25 and E6 of the box stretching forwardly from the rear thereof to a limited extent, and in the embodiment shown, the conductor loa-rs are set on two horizontal projections or ledges 35 and 36.

In this embodiment the conductor bars are continued angularly on the rear Wall of the box, as at 33o, and Stia, and then electrically connected to the respective Wires 2S and 36, as by the screws 3? and 38. A block 22 of electrically non-conductive material is set into the box 2i, as has been mentioned, and, in the embodiment shown, two vertically set electro-conductive strips or bars t9 and 49 are embedded in the block 22, their rear portions ending in spring terminations 39a and 46o adapted to ride with strong frictional spring contacts on the respective conductor bars 33 and 34.

Horizontal grooves il and 42 are provided on the left and right sides, in the rear portion, oi" the block 22, said block being adapted to ride on the respective projections or ledges 35 and 36 through said grooves 4| and d2, said grooves also permitting a free play for the spring terminations 39a and dia of the conductor bars 39 and bars may reach to near the front surface 43 of the block 22 and terminate in spring contact pieces 124 and 45 set into respective recesses 46 and 4l adapted to receive the prongs of respective electric plugs, as indicated in Fig. 5, for side sockets on the block 22. As also indicated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, two horizontal transverse conductor strips e8 and i9 are ar-l ranged in the block 22, the strip 48 being elec trically connected to the main conductor strip f 39 and the strip 49 electrically connected to the o main conductor strip 40, as indicated at 48a: and 49a. These two transverse conductor strips will terminate in spring contacts 48h and 49h and d8a and figc, respectively, forming the two side contacts for respective plugs 51 and 58, as indicated in Fig. 5, the prongs of the plugs entering respective recesses in the insulating block 22 similar to the front recesses d and 41, as will be understood and as also shown in Fig. 5.

Two upwardly projecting further conductor strips d and 5l may also be arranged, shown to the rear of but closely to the horizontal strips d8 and 49, in the conductor block 22, being electrically connected to the respective main conductor strips 39 and 40, as at 5ta and 5|a, and terminating in the resilient contact pieces 53h and 51h, which may be used for a plug connection on the top of the block 22, the recesses for which being indicated at 59e and 5|c in Fig. l.

A iront ornamental and securing plate 52 may also be employed in my device, secured on the wall, as by the screws 53, and indentations 5d (Figs. i., 2 and 3) may be added at the front oi the sides ci the block 22 by which it may be grasped by the fingers of the user when it is l desired to pull the same out of the socket. For this purpose the device may be made in such a manner that even in the innermost position of the block 22, the indentations 54 will be exposed (Fig. 2) as by indentations 54a in the plate 52.

Any appropriate means may be employed to srevent an entire freeing or pulling out of the block 22 from the casing 2i, that is, to limit its forward movement. One such method may conin providing a pin 55 in the top of the block 22 and an appropriate groove 5S in the top 21 of the casing in which said pin may forwardly and rearwardly ride (Figs. 5 and 6). The groove will be as long as necessary for the inward and outward movement of the block 22 thereby providing limits to said movement.

At 51 and 58 two plugs are indicated applied at the two sides of the multiple socket block 22.

In Figs. '1 to 9, a modification of my device is illustrated. In this modification a box or cas- 5 ing Se is employed in an appropriate recess in the wall 6i in which is riding a non-conductor block t2. The block in this embodiment, however, has a narrower upper part 63 and a wider lower part The lower' part rides, easily fitting, in the lower part of the box 6B, while the upper part is recessed therefrom and leaves the left and right free spaces G5 and 66 between the same and the respective sides of the box. Left hand and right hand bars S1 and 53 are secured on the sides of the narrower upper portion 63 of the block 62, and rear conductor bars 69 and 10 are employed on the side of the box electrically connected to the respective wires 1l and 12 in the wall. The iront terminations 69a and 'lila of the bars 59 and 1li are free swinging springs riding on the respective bars B1 and 68 of the insulator block 63, and in this manner the electric current is conducted into them. Any appropriate conductor strips 61a and 68a may be embedded in the insulator block 63, and the front, plug receiving, terminations and recesses 13 and 1d for the front of the device, and 15 and 16 for the sides, and 'i1 and 13 for the top may be provided in the front portion of the block, connected to the main conductor strips 61a and 68a in the manner de scribed earlier in connection with the preferred embodiment of my device.

The front plate 19 here also may be secured on the wall permitting the outward movement only of the narrowed front block portion 63a therethrough and acting as a limit for the for-` ward movement when the wider lower and rear part t4 will reach the same by its iront face 64a in the forward movement of the block.

As has been mentioned, the arrangement of the electrical connections in the sliding block 22 as indicated in Fig. 4, as there shown in a semidiagrammatical and somewhat exaggerated manner as to the distances between the parts. When actually building the device, the horizontal transverse outlet strips 4B and 49 may be set very close to the front outlets 44 and 45, and, similarly, the transverse vertical outlets 50 and 5i may also be set very close to the rest whereby the various outlets in the iront of the sliding block 22 will be arranged in a very compact manner and a relatively small amount of sliding of the block outwardly will be suflicient to expose all the Various outlets.

It is also understood that if it is desired, additional outlets may be built in the block and, obviously, downwardly open additional vertical transverse strips may be added in a similar manner as the upward strips 5i) and 5l secured to the base conductor bars or strips 39 and fi, whereby, five outlets will be provided instead of the four now shown in the drawing.

It also will be understood by those versed in this art that the vertical transverse outlets 52) and 5| may be secured by any appropriate manner on the respective horizontal transverse conductor strips di: and 59 whereby a still more compact construction may be attained. So or inn stance, the strip 50 may be secured on the top of strip 158 while the strip 5i may be secured on the underside ci the lower strip 49 or on the main conductor strip 40 and then bent in an appropriate manner over the strip 48 and so upwardly to cooperate with the strip t9. Oi course the strip 5i in this construction will be bent in such a manner as to avoid any contact with the rest of the conductors.

While I have shown preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be resorted to in the elements, combinations and construction of my invention, and I reserve my rights to such changes and variations as are within the spirit of this specification, and the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

What I claim as new and want to protect by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. In a wall socket for electric circuits having a recess in the wall a casing in said recess and a block of electrically insulating material outwardly and inwardly slidable in said casing, the combination, of two conductor bars at the two sides of the casing connected to the two poles of a source of current in the wall, two conductor bars in said block opposite to the respective bars in the casing, and in electrical contact therewith in all the phases of the sliding movement of said block, a plurality of electrical connector sockets in the front and the sides of said block connected to the respective conductor bars therein and exposed in a predetermined manner and numbers in the various positions of the block, longitudinal projections being provided on the walls oi the casing, said conductor bars for the casing being secured thereon, and said block having corresponding grooves with its bars therein whereby projections with the conductor bars thereon will act as a guide in the movements of the block, while conducting the current thereinto.

2. In a Wall socket for electric circuits having a recess in the wall and an insulating block inwardly and outwardly axially slidable in said recess, the combination, of an elongated conductor bar at each side of the recess, said bars being connected to the two poles of a source of current in the wall, two axial main strips of conductor material in said insulating block, a portion thereof being exposed on the respective sides of the block adapted to ride in an electrically contacted manner on said bars on the sides of the recess, two socket proper recesses in the front of said insulator block, the front terminations of said conductor strips reaching into said recesses and formed therein into contact members for prongs of an electric plug, pairs of socket recesses in the sides of said insulator block being adapted to be exposed to a desired extent when the block is moved outwardly, secondary conductor strips set into said insulator block transversely to said main axial conductor strips, the terminations of said secondary conductor strips reaching into said side socket recesses and formed therein into contact members for prongs of electric plugs, said transverse strips being electrically connected to said axial main strips, said axial strips being of at spring material, the rear exposed portion thereof being formed into a spring to ride on said bars in the recess, the front ends thereof being folded doubled and thereby forming said contact members for electric plugs and said transverse conductor strips also being flat spring material bridging the main axial conductor strips in pairs, their terminations being folded doubled so as to form said side contact members for prongs of electric plugs, one transverse strip in each pair being secured to one respective main axial conductor strip for said electric contact therewith and being electrically insulated from the other main conductor strip.

EDWARD G. PFISTER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '1,442,284 McKay Jan. 16, 1923 2,076,558 Hartman Apr. 13, 1937 2,196,842 Strazzabosco Apr. 9, 1940 2,445,244 Seaver July 13, 1948 

